Emergency switch



y 1933- c. J. ANDERSON 1,359,330

EMERGENCY SWITCH Filed Dec. 21, 1928 e Sheets-Sheet 1 y 1932- c. J. ANDERSON 1,369,330

EMERGENCY SWITCH Filed Dec. 21, 1928 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 26, 1932. c, J ANDERSQN 1,869,330

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July 26, 1932. c; j ANDERSON 1,869,330

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EMERGENCY SWITCH I Filed Dec."2l, 1928 9 SheetsSheet 9 @Q OCWM flzk Patented July 26, 1932 UNITED STATES CARL J. ANDERSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS EMERGENCY SWITCH Application filed December 21, 1928. Serial No. 327,546.

My invention relates to emergency switches, and has for its object improve ments in the means for continuing to carry the load in case some accident occurs to the a usual source of power, or the connections thereto.

In the accompanying drawings F ig. 1 is a front elevation with the central part broken away, and with the upper contacts closed and with the lower ones open;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1, the parts being in the position shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4'is a side elevation corresponding to Fig. 2, but with the switch partially reversed and a little short of lowest position;

Fig. 5 is a section correspondingto Fig. 3

. but with the parts in the position of Fig. 4; 20 Figs. 6 and 7 are corresponding elevation and section with the switch completely reversed; I

Fig. 8 is a section on line 8-8 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 9 is a detail; and Fig. 10 is a diagram. H The plate 11 is a vertically disposed body of insulation which may conveniently be secured to a wall, and which serves to support the parts to be hereinafter described. Secured to the plate 11 at about the center of its vertical length are brackets or standards 12 and 13, on which is pivoted a bridge or carrier 14 which rocks upon its pivots 15 in said standards. 1 Insulatingly supported on the rocker 14 are double arm contactlevers 16, 17 and 18 (Fig. 10). Bolted to the left end of the rocker 14 is a casting 19 in the form of a hook having cam surfaces on the inner and outer edges of said hook.

Supported in a suitable frame 20, at the left in Fig. 1, is a large solenoid 21. The lower end of the armature 22 is bifurcated, and in this end is pivot-ed a T-head 3 of a bolt 24. The standard 12 is part of a casting 25 which has a lug 26 extending through an opening in the plate 11 to the'rear face thereof.

Pivoted at 27 on lug 26 is a lever 28 whlch extends through to the front of plate 11,

and has a T-shaped head 29 thereon. Pivoted'to the ends of the T-head 29 are rollers 30 and gl which engage the inner and'outer cam surfaces of the hook 19. Pivoted to the lever 28 between the rollers 30 and, 31 is an arm 32 through which projects the bolt 24. Between the arm 32 and the T-head'23 is 24 are collar or washer 34and nut 35.

When the solenoid 21 is energized, the armature 22 pulls on the arm 32 to turn the lever 28 on its pivot 27. 'This causes the rollers 30 and 31 to travel over the cam surfaces of a spring 83, and on the outer end of 'b'olt the hook 19 in such a way as to turn the rocker 14 on its pivots to'move the upper ends of the contact levers 16, 17. and 18 toward the plate'll, and the other ends away from the plate. When the solenoid 21 is de-energized, the weight of parts and springs to be described act to move the contact levers in the opposite direction. I

On the upper ends of the contact levers 16,

i 17 and 18 are adjustable contact devices 36,

them are spring supported contact devices 45. 46 and 47. u

Each spring supported contact device is mounted in a hollow post 48 having a slot 49 in its side, and through each of the contact devices is a transverse pin 50 which limits the outward movement of the contact device under the action of the springconcealed inside of the post. These transverse pins serve also as electrical connections between the contact devices and wires to be described. Posts 49 with associated parts are well known and do not need further description.

Secured on the insulating plate 11, adjacent to each spring supported contact device, is a pair of castings 51 which carry an asbestos spark shield 52 of an ordinary character. Between each pair of castings 51, and back of its spark shield 52, is a blow out 0011 which is connected between the adjacent sprlngsupported contact device and an associate ice brush contact in a manner to be described in connection with the circuits employed.

Back of the upper and lower parts of the contact arms 16, 17 and 18 are posts 53, each one of which carries brush contact adapted to be engaged by said arms as will be described. Each brush is permanently connected to a wire leading to a source of electricity, and also to its associated blow out coil. When the rocker 14 is moved in one direction, the contact arms engage the upper brushes, and when it is moved in the opposite direction they engage the lower brushes.

Supported near the lower left hand part of the plate 11 is a solenoid. 54, the armature 55 of which is pivoted at 56 on a block 57 secured to said plate. The armature 55 has a. tail 58 which comes under the roller 31 in cases in which solenoids 21 and 54 are energized at the same time (Fig. 8)

Below the solenoid 54 is a bracket 59 which carries a spring supported contact device 60, which is pressed inward instead of outward as in the case of contact 30. Pivoted at 61 on a bracket 62 is a lever 63 having an end 64 adapted to make electrical contact with the contact device 60. A friction spring 65, mounted on the pivot 61 and held from turn ing by contact with the bracket 62, serves to hold the lever 63 at either of two positions until moved by an outside force.

On the lower part of lever 63 is a piece of insulation 66, and on the armature 55 is an arm 67 adapted to strike the insulation 66 and move the contact end 64 out of engagement with the contact device 60 when the solenoid 54 is energized. At an intermediate point on the lever 28 is an insulated roller 68 adapted to strike the upper end of the lever 63 whenever the lever 28 falls to its lower position as shown in Fig. 6. When the upper end of lever 63 is so struck, the electrical connection at the lower end 64 is re made.

Secured to the under part of the arm 16 is a spring 69 having its other end secured to a post 70 secured to the insulation 11. This spring acts to move the arm 16 from the position shown in Fig. 3 to the position shown in Fig. 7. It also serves as part of electrical connection from the arm 16 to one of the lines leading to the load to be carried. Similarly, springs 71 and 72 are connected to arms 17 and 18 and serve both as retracting springs and as electrical connections.

At any convenient place is a knife switch 73 which serves to connect lines 74, 75 and 76 10) which extend to a normal source of power, to lines 77, 78 and 7 9, which extend through posts 53 to the brushes under upper parts of the arms 16, 17 and 18. In a similar manner, knife switch 80 serves to connect lines 81, 82 and 83 from an emergency source of power to lines 84, 85 and 86 which extend through other posts 53 to the brushes under the lower parts of said arms.

lVhen no load is being carried, the knife switches are both open, and the apparatus is in the position shown in Fig. 7. Upon closing the switch 73, a current flows as fol lows ource7477-53 under arm 16- 8788solenoid 21--9162636460 5989 53 under arm 177875source. Also, in parallel, from branch 87 through solenoid 54 and branch 90 to 89.

This is a current simultaneously through the solenoids 21 and 54 in parallel, and both attract their armatur-es at the same time. The armature 55 of solenoic 54, however, has a tail 58 which lies back of the roller 31, and cannot be moved until after the armature 22 has been moved to attracted position by solenoid 21; This position is shown in F igs. 4 and 6; i 7

As soon as solenoid 21 has moved its armature and lev-r 28 to their upper position, the roller 31 has passec over the curved tip at the upper end. of tail 58, and the armature 55 may be attracted to the position shown in F 2 and 8. In moving to attracted position, the arm 67 on armature 58 strikes the insulation 66 on lever 63 and moves that lever to break the electrical connection at 60-64. As this is a point in the circuit for the solenoid 21, the branch through that solenoid is broken without affecting the branch through solenoid 54.

As the curved upper end of the tail 58 is brought under the roller 31 beforethe circuit is broken at 6064, and is held there by the action of the solenoid 54, it will be evident the solenoid 54 acts to hold the electrical con nections closed at the upper parts of lever arms 16, 17 and 18 after the circuit is broken for solenoid 21. Stated in another form, the solenoid 54 acts to hold the armature 22 in its attracted position after the circuit for solenoid 21 is broken.

The posts 53 under the upper parts of arms 16, 17 and 18 carry brushes 92, 93 and 94 which are engaged by said arms when they have been moved by solenoid 21 to the position shown in Figs. 3 and 10. The posts 53 under the lower parts of said arms carry brushes 110, 111 and 112 which are engaged by said arms when the parts are in the position shown in F 5. As will be described in detail hereinafter, when the rocking arms are moved in either direction, they make electrical coi'inection with the spring supported contact devices a little in advance of the connection, with the brushes supported in posts At the time the solenoid 21 moves the rocklug arms to make the upper connections,the

9 source which normally carries the load;

; i contact 42 has already depressed the contact 1y by the arms 16 and 17 engaging the brushes 92 and 9 3, whereupon the current from source to load passes through these brushes and not by way of the blow out coils 99 and 104.

In what has preceded, the. return was traced through line 102, arm 17 and line 75. It will be evident, however, that the initial blow out coil 108-10953 under 1879 7 6source; and then be directly from 18 to 53 by way of the brush 94.

After the operator has'closed knife switch 7 3 to connect the load to the normal source of current he closes knife switch to connect an emergency source of current to the contact devices under the lower parts of the rocking arms 16, 17 and 18. This, however, does not accomplish anything beyond extending the sourceto new terminals, because those terminals are open by reason of the action of the solenoids 21 and 54.

As before explained, the holding magnet or solenoid 54 receives its current from the Should the line 74757 6 fail for any reason whatever, the circuit will .be broken for the solenoid 54. Under such conditions, the weight of the parts and the force of the springs 69, 71 and 72, acting through the roller 31 (Figs. 2 and 8) upon the inclined upper surface of the'tail 58 will retract the armature 55 and permit the parts to shift from the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3 to that shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

When the rocking bridge 14 moves on its pivots 15 in the shift just mentioned, the

contact devices 42, 43 and 44 first engage the spring supported contact devices 45, 46 and 47, and immediately thereafter'the arms 16, 17 and 18 engage the brushes 110, 111 and 112,. carried in the lower row of posts 53; This position is shown in Fig. 5, in which the arm 16 is just touching the brush 110, whereas the 45 a short distance as is seen by the position of the pin 50 in the slot of post 48. Fig. 7 shows the same posts in their lowest position.

In the movement of the rocking arms 16, 17 and 18 from the upper contacts to'the lower contacts, the initial circuit is :Emer gency source81 8453 under arm 16- 113bl0w out coil 11 4-115 454216 69- 101 to load-1027117-43 46- 116blow outcoil 11.7 11853 under arm 178582source. v p

as soon as the rockingarms reach contact with the brushes, as shown initially in Fig. 5, the blowout coils are shunted and the connection is directly through brush to arm 16 and back through arm 17 to brush 111.

What has just been given shows that when the current from the normal source of electricity is interrupted .for any reason whatever, current from an emergency source is automatically substituted therefor. This interruption may be due to a failure at any place, but we may represent it here by open ing of the knife switch 73., In the same. way

we may representthe reestablishment of connection to the normal source by again closing the switch 73. i

circuit, a' currentfiows as before from wire Upon the re-establishment of'the normal 7 74 through solenoid 21 and contacts 64- 60 to Wire 75, and also in parallel through solenoid 54. In this connection it is to be noticed that whenthe parts fall to their lower position as previously described,.the insulated roller 68 on lever 28 strikes the upper end of lever 63 to closethe connection 64-60 preparatory to the circuit before mentioned through solenoid 21. 7

Reviewing the previous descriptions briefly, it will be seen that when switch 73 is closed, an electromagnetic device, which is here represented as the solenoid 21, extends electrical connections from a source to a load, whatever that load may be. Also and simultaneously, a lesser and secondary electromagnetic device locks the parts 111-tilt}. position to which they were moved by the prim ary electro-magnetic device, and breaks the circuit for the primary so that the holding circuit is solely through the secondary.

If the current from the source is interrupted, thenthe apparatus involved is automatically moved so astoconnect the load to an emergency source oflcurrent, and to close the connection for the primary which Was opened by the secondary. If the current from the normal source became re-estab- 'lished, then the primary electro-magnetic device automatically shifts the load from the emergency source to the normal and the secondary locks up the apparatus as before and also breaks the circuit for the primary.

tated still more briefly, the apparatus holds the load connected to a normal source of power, but upon the'normal source of power being temporarily interrupted, the apparatus automatically shifts the load to an emergency source of power and then automatically source of power and serving when energized to connect the load tothe normal source, of power, a secondary electro-magnetic device bridged on the circuit for the primary electro-magnetic device, said secondary serving to lock the connections made by the primary and to break the circuit for the primary when said connections are so locked, and automatically operating means for shifting the load to the emergency source upon a failure of the current coming from the normal source. 2. In an apparatus of the class described, a magnet serving to connect a load to a source of power, a second magnet serving to lock the connection made and to break the circuit for the connecting magnet, automatically operating means for connecting the load to a second source upon a failure of the first source and for connecting the first magnet to the failed source, and automatically operating means for disconnecting the second source upon a revival of the first source.

Inan apparatus of the class described, a rocker, a series of insulated levers carried by said rocker, contact devices on opposite ends of said levers, a magnet provided with a source of power and connections for moving said rocker so that the contact devices at the upper ends of the levers are brought into' contact with contact devices adjacent to said upper ends, lock ng means for holding the contact connections made, a second magnet for operating saidholding means, said second magnet drawing its power by independent connections from the same source as the first magnet, and ietractmg means serving to move the rocker in the opposite direction to bring said levers into engagement wlth contact devices adgacent to the lower ends of said levers upon a failure of power leading to said second magnet.

4. In an apparatus of theclass described, a rocker, a series of insulated levers carried by said rocker, conductors permanently connected to saidlevers and leading to a load to be carried, contact devices secured to each end of each levenfixed contacts located under the upper ends of said levers, said fixed contacts being provided with conductors leading to a primary source of power, other fixed contacts under the lower ends of saidlevers and provided with conductors leading to a secondary source of power, a magnet con- 7 nected to theprimary source of power and serving when energized to move the rocker so as to connect said eversto the upper series-of fixed contacts, a second magnet having an independent connection to the primary source of power, locking and circuit breaking means operated by said second magnet,,said circuit breaking means serving to break "the circuit of thefirst magnet and said locking means serving to hold the levers'in connection of the upperfiXed contacts when the circuit'of the first magnet is broken, and independent means for moving the rocker so as to cause the levers to engage the lower fixed contacts when there is a failure of power from the primary source, said last mentioned means serving also to remake the circuit for the first magnet.

5. In a device of the class described, an electric circuit, a magnet connected to said circuit and serving to move a body in one direction against a retracting force, a second magnet having an independent connection to the same circuit, said second magnet when ener ized serving to lock the moved body in the moved position and to break the circuit connection for the first magnet, and means effective upon the deenergizing of the second magnet to remake the connection broken for the first magnet.

6. In an apparatus of the class described, an electro-magnet connected to a source of power, a spring put under tension by the. operation of said magnet, a second magnet bridged on the circuit of the first magnet and serving .to break the circuit for the first magnet and to hold connection against the action orv said spring, and a second source of power, said spring acting to shift the load automatically to the second source of power when the second magnet ceases to receive current from the first source of power.

7. The combination with contact makers provided with permanent connections to a load to be carried, contact terminals connectedto a normal source of power, other contact term1nals connected to a secondary source of power, said contact makers being under strain to move them from the terminals of the normal source of power to those of the secondary source, a pair of magnets having independent circuit connections to the normal source of power, one of said magnets serving to move the contact makers from connection with the secondary source to connection with thenormal' source and the other of said magnets serving to. lock such connec tion and to break the circuit of the first magnet, and automatic means for releasing said lock upon failure of the normal source of power.

8. In an apparatus of the class described, a plurality of insulated levers mechanically connected at their central portions to a pivoted support, an elect *ic conductor extending from each lever to a load to be carried, duplicate contact makers on each end of each lever, one of the contact makers at each end ofeach run lever being adjustable, a normal source of ing said levers to electrical connection with the secondary source of power upon a failure of the normal source of'power.

9. In an apparatus of the class described, a

rocker, a plurality of insulated levers carried by said rocker, duplicate contact makers on opposite ends of said levers, one contact maker at each end being adjustable, corresponding duplicate contact terminals supported back of the contact makers, one'of each contact terminals being spring supported, a normal source of power connected to the contact terminals back of the upper ends of the levers, a secondary source of power connected to the contact terminals back of the lower ends of said levers, electric conductors extending from the levers to a load to be carried, means for moving said rocker so as to connect said levers to the upper contact :0 terminals, a magnet connected to the normal source of power and serving to retain the connection between the levers and the upper contact terminals, and retracting means serv ing to move the rocker in the opposite direction upon failure of the power leading to said magnet. V

10. The combination with contact terminals and a primary source of electrical power manually connectable thereto, other contact :0 terminals and a secondary source of power manually connectable thereto, and movable contact levers permanently connected to a load to be carried, of means acting to move said levers into engagement with the termi- 85 nals of the secondary source, temporarily acting means operated from the primary source for shifting said levers from engagement with the terminals of the secondary source to engagement with the terminals of the 40 primary source, an automatically releasable locking device serving to hold said levers in shifted position, and a magnet operated from the primary source and serving to hold the lockin device in looking position.

11. he combination with conductors leading to a primary source of power, other conductors leading to a secondary source of power, and conductors leading to a load to be carried, of tension means acting to connect the conductors leading to the load to the conductors leading to the secondary source of power, a magnet connected to the primary source and acting to shift the load conductors to connection with the same source, an automatically releasable locking device for holding such connection, a second magnet having an independent connection to the primary source and serving to hold the locking device and disconnect the first magnet from its source, and means by which upon a failure of the primary source of power the first magnet Will be automatically connected to the conductors leading to the failed source. CARL J. ANDERSON. 

